Origin
Mechanicsburg, PA
Morning in Mechanicsburg on Monday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mechanicsburg, PA to City of Scranton, PA
Drive Time
5h 16m
Distance
340.2 mi
548 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$56
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 3m
★
6 AM
5h 16m
8 AM
5h 43m
10 AM
5h 26m
12 PM
5h 23m
3 PM
5h 27m
5 PM
5h 42m
8 PM
5h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mechanicsburg, PA
Michael Taccetta
City of Scranton, PA
Michael Taccetta
Trip Overview
The drive from Mechanicsburg, PA to City of Scranton, PA covers 340.2 miles and takes about 5h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Frankfort Road, I 376 West, Beaver Valley Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $56.29 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
170.1 miles from Mechanicsburg, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 16m drive with frequent turns across 340.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Frankfort Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mechanicsburg, PA to City of Scranton, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Frankfort Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 376 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Beaver Valley Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| PA 18 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Mitchell Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Glen Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Wilmington Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Beechwood Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Frankfort Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mechanicsburg, PA and City of Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Frankfort Road
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Frankfort Road
2
Keep slight right to continue on Frankfort Road
6.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Frankfort Road
3
Take the ramp slight right toward I 376 West: New Castle
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 376 West: New Castle
4
Merge slight left onto Beaver Valley Expressway
30 mi
·
32 min
·
Beaver Valley Expressway
5
Take the exit slight right toward PA 18
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
PA 18
6
Turn right onto Mitchell Road
459 ft
·
10 sec
·
Mitchell Road
7
Turn left onto Glen Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Glen Road
8
At the end of the road, turn left onto Wilmington Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilmington Road
9
Turn right
2.4 mi
·
4 min
10
Turn right onto Beechwood Road
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Beechwood Road
11
Turn left onto South Market Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Market Street
12
Continue on Mercer-New Wilmington Road
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Mercer-New Wilmington Road
13
Turn right onto Steingrabe Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Steingrabe Road
14
Turn right onto South Erie Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
South Erie Street
15
Continue on Perry Highway
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Perry Highway
16
Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Clarion
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
I 80 East: Clarion
17
Merge slight left onto Keystone Shortway
244 mi
·
4 hr 23 min
·
Keystone Shortway
18
Take the exit slight left toward I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 81 North: Wilkes-Barre
19
Merge slight left
32 mi
·
39 min
20
Take the exit slight right toward PA 307
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
PA 307
21
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
River Street
22
At the end of the road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
23
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 170.1 miles from Mechanicsburg, PA, or about 2h 38m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 170.1 miles or 2h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mechanicsburg, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Mechanicsburg, PA
This is one driving day of about 340.2 miles and 5h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Mechanicsburg, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 170.1 mi from Mechanicsburg, PA · 2h 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
170 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 170.1 miles from Mechanicsburg, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in City of Scranton, PA
The final approach into City of Scranton, PA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around City of Scranton, PA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.29 one way
$112.59 round trip
$4.20/gal
25.4 MPG avg
119 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $61.60 | $123.20 |
| premium | $4.92 | $65.92 | $131.85 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $75.58 | $151.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$56
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$81–$106
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 102.1 | 1 | $35.72 | $16.33 |
| Efficient EV | 85.1 | 0 | $29.77 | $13.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 136.1 | 1 | $47.63 | $21.77 |
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
City of Scranton, PA
Morning in City of Scranton on Monday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 16m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Mechanicsburg, PA to City of Scranton, PA covers 340.2 miles and takes about 5h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Frankfort Road, I 376 West, Beaver Valley Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 170.1 miles from Mechanicsburg, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $56.29 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mechanicsburg, PA to City of Scranton, PA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Mechanicsburg, PA to City of Scranton, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Return Trip
City of Scranton, PA to Mechanicsburg, PAPlan the drive back the other way.
332.2 mi
6h 19m
Continue From City of Scranton, PA
More trips to City of Scranton, PA
Explore more options from Mechanicsburg, PA or browse trips ending in City of Scranton, PA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse PA road trips.
Explore maps for Mechanicsburg, PA or City of Scranton, PA on MapSof.net.